No Country for Old Men

Time Out says

5 out of 5 stars

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Users say
(126)

4 out of 5 stars

Time Out says

5 out of 5 stars

West Texas, 1980. Out hunting deer in the desert down by the Mexican border, Vietnam veteran Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) happens on a heap of carnage: torn-apart trucks, corpses of men and dogs, the bloody bodies of others who’d be better off dead, and a case packed with cash: about $2 million. With no witnesses, and confident he can handle himself, Moss opts to keep what’s clearly payment in a drugs-handover gone wrong, and treat himself and wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) to a life considerably better than their trailer-park existence. Trouble is, psychopathic hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) also wants the loot, and begins carefully hunting the hunter, in turn pursued by veteran sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), who can’t help feeling the world’s turning more crazily violent.

The Coens’ first outright adaptation is of a Cormac McCarthy novel so attuned to them that the film feels – at least until the final few scenes – as if it’s based on one of their own original screenplays: ‘Blood Simple’ meets ‘Fargo’, almost. For all its fidelity to its source, however, it’d be wrong to think it merely an illustration. The Coens meticulously select the most filmic moments of McCarthy’s terse, gripping book; they trim the sheriff’s nostalgic reveries and philosophising, embellish and enhance the action, and succeed overall in transforming the novel’s economic descriptions into a full-blown world populated by vivid, plausible characters.

Most impressive, they find a cinematic equivalent to McCarthy’s language: his narrative ellipses, play with point of view, and structural concerns such as the exploration of the similarities and differences between Moss, Chigurh and Bell. Certain virtuoso sequences feel near-abstract in their focus on objects, sounds, light, colour or camera angle rather than on human presence. As in ‘Barton Fink’ or ‘Fargo’, the Coens prove that properly innovative artistry and engrossing entertainment can co-exist to utterly compelling effect.Notwithstanding much marvellous deadpan humour, this is one of their darkest efforts: Chigurh, especially, is a nightmarish creation, polite manners and pageboy bob perversely accentuating the volatility in his strangely logical head. Roger Deakins’ superb camerawork, top-grade performances all round, and understated, assured direction ensure the film exerts a grip from start to end. A masterly tale of the good, the deranged and the doomed that inflects the raw violence of the west with a wry acknowledgement of the demise of codes of honour, this is frighteningly intelligent and imaginative.

Although highly artful in its styling and photography, I found it impossible to watch this film without asking endless questions about 'why' the characters were doing what they were, and why it was possible for them to keep doing it- and in this case what the point of the whole thing was anyway.
However beautifully acted (this is) any film requires an internal coherence and when a film attempts a kind of realism in its settings and acting style it only makes a greater demand on the plausability of the script. I'm afraid this only confirms my previous conclusions that the Coens are superficial and lacking in the core values that makes real artists.

This movie is a hugh rip off of 'Night of the running man'. This over hyped piece of non sense has the worst ending I have ever seen in a movie. Extremely boring its the third oscar nominee in a row Ive seen thats rubbish. I love thrillers and action movies. Everyone in cinema came out asking what the Coen Brothers were on when they made this boring move, Even though the opening scenes were promising nothing happens after that. Boring.

Watched the film on dvd and enjoyed every minute up until the last ten minutes when the plot went pear shaped and it got confusing as to who had died and why. Maybe a remake with a clearer ending would make this a good film. Thought the main actor was the cop out of 'who loves Raymond' but he played the psycho part well.

Watched the film on dvd and enjoyed every minute up until the last ten minutes when the plot went pear shaped and it got confusing as to who had died and why. Maybe a remake with a clearer ending would make this a good film. Thought the main actor was the cop out of 'who loves Raymond' but he played the psycho part well.

no movie for sane men
this would be the most appropriate title for a pointless and absurd adaptation of mcormacks book,who is one of the better american prose stylists,while the coens have a style of their own,as in BARTON FINK AND BLOOD SIMPLE AND MORE PALPABLY IN FARGO- but cinema is more then style, it needs and breathes on a plausible script,
here a drug /dough deal goes wrong with a terrible massacre involving man and dogs and all we see is a frustrated old typecast jones as sheriff -bell investigating multiple massacres,where was FBI or do they not get involved with mexican criminals ,
you also have a gun battle in a texan town in the heat of night with cars crashing galore without another soul in sight as if texas is a ghost state,while half the state is butchered by a stone faced bardem as a mysterious hitman with a hairstyle that will make him cospicuous from new york to alaska -no one is able to keep tabs or even trace him .
you wonder why kelly macdonald a scotswoman is playing a texan with an exaggerated an accent as can be ,but the most hilarious aspect is how bardem gets into every nook and corner unannounced and walks out after discharging his lethal weapon, a gas cylinder-a novel terrorist weapon to kill for,he kills and uses it to unlock doors as well dually as an automatic weapon and a door opener too -saving some cash for coen brothers and the producers,this is the most ingenious creation in this most generic violent thriller which doesnt even come close to unforgiven or seven in its violent and wanton meningless execution ,
earlier he also smothers a texan ranger in the first reel and his wrists are macerated but you dont see any sign of the wounds hence forth, yet again he is able to self treat after an almost fatal thigh wound which can exsanguinate mortal men but this one is INVINCIBLE,
his main protagonist is brolin who for no valid reason returns to the massacre site hours after he left a dying man without water ,by the time an injured brolin ends up in mexico on foot and is woken from his footpath slumber in the most hilarious scene of the year by a group of mexican serenaders ,you will be in splits ,he then uses his NAM reference to cross back into u.s.a ,no wonder we have such a big problem with illegal immigrants,throw some references about your army experience and the u.s border is open ,take notes al-qaeda operators and mr bardem would be ideal as an ALQAEDA HENCHMAN as he even looks like one, but no one except an old frustrated sheriff running around texas like a mad dog can sniff him and the icing on the cake is tess harper as mr,jones love interest, who plays it straight with a bemused smile on her face,well she was lucky because most people around me were dozing off or walking out.
the narrative then goes haywire as brolin ends up in a texan motel and is solicited by a blonde ,his status henceforth is diificult to establish ,since even coens cannot explain what happens there and cut the story short.i wish they had done that earlier because they did not have a script anyway.
this is .a classic example of how a bad script can never make a good movie despite technical wizardry,after all the butchered mexicans and dogs-3 till last count,lets say TEXAS IS NOT FOR MEXICANS AND DOGS BUT ONLY MEANT FOR MAD MEN ,what a country as i remember it to be quite different from what i saw on screen,thank god,next time coens need to research their medical and mexican subjects more carefully .
well the only reason to see this movie is a languidly tense atmosphere which rings false and is enhanced by sound ,light and crisp editing like the sequence where bardem shoots at a bird sitting over the bridge rail from his truck ,i wish someone had shot this turkey down too -but then even bardem missed the bird in the movie itself ,enough is enough - jbz7879

Well, if superb cinematography, taut direction, scintillating acting, plot, panorama, pace, fear, tension, horror, irony, wit and insight won't do it for you, then what will? This isn't a romcom or a chick flick. It stays faithful to a marvellous book. It makes its points brilliantly: when morality and money clash, money wins and bad guys do get away with it.
This is a great film, one of the very best of the decade, with arguably the most terrifying villain ever depicted on celluloid. Javier Bardem is worth the admission money on his own.

Well, if superb cinematography, taut direction, scintillating acting, plot, panorama, pace, fear, tension, horror, irony, wit and insight won't do it for you, then what will? This isn't a romcom or a chick flick. It stays faithful to a marvellous book. It makes its points brilliantly: when morality and money clash, money wins and bad guys do get away with it.
This is a great film, one of the very best of the decade, with arguably the most terrifying villain ever depicted on celluloid. Javier Bardem is worth the admission money on his own.

No Country For Old Men is a masterfully crafted movie. The Coen Brothers prove they are still on top of their game. The film is haunting and stays with you even after the cineplex. It elicits powerfull perfomances from the three lead actors Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem. Tommy lee Jones is in familiar territory (The Fugitive, US Marshalls) and plays a beat up, cynical small town sherif in Texas country.The movie opens at the scene of a massacre. An apprent drugs transaction gone badly wrong. There are a half dozen bodies next to pick up trucks. The josh Brolin Character chances upon the scene before the cops. His hyena instincts are too run away with the booty he finds before the cops come in. What follows is a cat and mouse chase . The Brolin character seeks to outsmart any competition while on the run with the two million dollars booty. He however didnt count on the formidable foe that is the Bardiem character. No Country is indeed an excellent movie with its exploration on the theme of money. To what lengths can we go to find and keep money? What price does an individual pay for treasure? Money certainly doesnt bring happiness as our protaganist learns the hard way in No Country. The movie is seemingly shot with no sound track excpet for the original scene sounds without much sound effect. This gives the movie an authentic, real time, real life feel to it. The film sound editing almost tells a story of its own. The three lead characters roles are intelligently connected with the plot . Javier Bardem steals the show and most of his acting is more body language than screen play. He plays the role with a wicked faithfulness. Its a violent movie almost in the Tarantino frame. So, this is really no date movie. But for the beauty of the story, the award-winning perfomances, sound editing and authentic texaz country landscape this a must- watch movie. I award in four out of five stars.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT FILM, WITH STRONG PERFORMANCES. JOSH BROLIN, EXCELLS HERE. THE CINEMA PHOTOGRAPHY AND SCORE WERE NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT, BUT BY NO MEANS POOR. MY ONLY NEG ON THIS IS THE ENDING... OTHERWISE GOOD ENTERTAINMENT

This film has incredible cinematography, and the portrait of a psychopath is very very accurate, (I am a forensic psychiatrist) but I did feel it had all been done before in pulpy serial killer flicks like "Halloween" etc. Essentially it is a boring film as the relentless killing just mounts up and up until you cease to care, so it has no tension to speak of. The "times have changed- or have they" theme seems a bit thin to me- it made me think yes they have, and for the worse, and this film and others like it are probably contributing to a general erosion of our capacity to be shocked at violence. Anyway, as it won best film at the Oscars it is by definition appalling.

I'm 50/50 with this film, I can appreciate the thoughts behind it but I just didn't find it all that entertaining. I can appreciate the depth & realism it is s'posed to portray but from what I saw of the trailers I expected more of a shoot 'em up! There were some awesome scenes and some that had me nodding off. The dialogue was hard to follow sometimes and I expect if you were not 100% into the film you could find it quite boring listening to monotomous texan drawl.
I think the plot was overall pretty good but the characters lacked depth most of all.

I loved this film. It was spare, it was subtle it was real, it was humane, it was brutal, it was a fantastic yarn, beautifully paced, beautifully and expertly shown on film. Brilliant. It deserved all the kudos it received. I could watch a film like this every day of my life and feel privileged to witness the skill and art of brilliant, all too rare, master movie-makers.

I loved this film. It was spare, it was subtle it was real, it was humane, it was brutal, it was a fantastic yarn, beautifully paced, beautifully and expertly shown on film. Brilliant. It deserved all the kudos it received. I could watch a film like this every day of my life and feel privileged to witness the skill and art of brilliant, all too rare, master movie-makers.

The comments on this site underline exactly the point the Coens are making in their film - but which sail straight over the heads of the growing number of humans whose only measure of a movie is "hey was I entertained...like I was when I saw Epic Movie, or Hot Shots. I was enthralled thru-out and the use of Tommy Lee Jones summation of the increasingly mindless people of the world - i.e. like those who couldn't see the brilliance of this movie let alone spell or write English - was stunning; it took me back to Barton Fink with John Turturro sitting on the beach with a box that may or may not have contained his girlfriend's head. We didn't need to know then - otherwise you have just another Hostel Part II - and thank God the Coens stuckc to their guns and didn't pander to the movie companies out there whose only goal is to make as much money as possible from the droves of people who forget what they saw the minute they walk out of theater, but insist that they had been entertained. The comments here show that this was a five-star rating - it made people think and react. My most brilliant experience watching this was when I realized I had seen maybe 20-30 minutes go by without a single word of dialogue - and indeed was thinking wow ! even Hitch must be impressed up there.

The comments on this site underline exactly the point the Coens are making in their film - but which sail straight over the heads of the growing number of humans whose only measure of a movie is "hey was I entertained...like I was when I saw Epic Movie, or Hot Shots. I was enthralled thru-out and the use of Tommy Lee Jones summation of the increasingly mindless people of the world - i.e. like those who couldn't see the brilliance of this movie let alone spell or write English - was stunning; it took me back to Barton Fink with John Turturro sitting on the beach with a box that may or may not have contained his girlfriend's head. We didn't need to know then - otherwise you have just another Hostel Part II - and thank God the Coens stuckc to their guns and didn't pander to the movie companies out there whose only goal is to make as much money as possible from the droves of people who forget what they saw the minute they walk out of theater, but insist that they had been entertained. The comments here show that this was a five-star rating - it made people think and react. My most brilliant experience watching this was when I realized I had seen maybe 20-30 minutes go by without a single word of dialogue - and indeed was thinking wow ! even Hitch must be impressed up there.

A movie with a lot of possibilities which it blew right by without a second glance. Strong initial portraits of the three main characters, the Sherirr, the Psycho and the Loser, were never really captiolized on. I thought that was a pity because the character development was so strong in the opening. Ignoring the scene when the Loser lost sort of made sense, he was born to lose and it was inevitable but could have been used to turbocharge the development of the Psycho. The Sheriff wandering idlely picking his nose while the man that killed his deputy was at large certainly proved this was "No Movie for Old Men." More's the pity, there could have been an epic buildup to a confrontation between the Sheriiff and the Psycho. Sadly, they abandoned many of the conventions of story telling which is a useful reminder of why those conventions are used, to provide entertanment. This wrings praise from those bored and jaded with movies as entertainment and leaves those looking for entertainment hung out to dry. As it turned out, this movie is fartistically brilliant and well suited to those who prefer playing with their pretensions rather than those seeking entertainment. I rate it half a pants load.

I'm totally surprised by all the viewer comments on this site. I saw No Country today for the first time and absolutely loved it. I checked Rotten Tomatoes and it's sitting at 94%, then I come here and everyone's saying it's crap? Did we watch the same movie?
There is so much tension in this movie and the lack of a conventional musical score just adds to this. I was gripped the whole way through. The acting is superb, and the dashes of black humour are just right. Someone mentioned earlier that a truly good movie should grip you while watching and make you think afterwards, and this one did both for me.
One more thing - stop moaning that we only see the aftermath of Moss's death rather than the death itself! The fact that Bell turns up too late and we experience the scene as he does makes it all the more powerful and hopeless. it's restraint like this that sets the Coen Brothers apart.

I'm totally surprised by all the viewer comments on this site. I saw No Country today for the first time and absolutely loved it. I checked Rotten Tomatoes and it's sitting at 94%, then I come here and everyone's saying it's crap? Did we watch the same movie?
There is so much tension in this movie and the lack of a conventional musical score just adds to this. I was gripped the whole way through. The acting is superb, and the dashes of black humour are just right. Someone mentioned earlier that a truly good movie should grip you while watching and make you think afterwards, and this one did both for me.
One more thing - stop moaning that we only see the aftermath of Moss's death rather than the death itself! The fact that Bell turns up too late and we experience the scene as he does makes it all the more powerful and hopeless. it's restraint like this that sets the Coen Brothers apart.

I went full of anticipation having read some terrific revues.Technically the film was great.....BUT...who cares about technicality?. This movie is balderdash of the most self indulgent kind. Someone should tell the cohen brothers that films are entertainment ....and that is why people go to the movies. Sadly this technical tour de force.....is exactly that ..a technical tour de force. This just CANNOT be anyones idea of entertainment.

A shallow and flashy movie by formerly pioneering directors who have long since run out of ideas (The Ladykillers anyone?). The dead pan humour and sang froid violence are a throwback to the nineties era of gangster cool and expose the film's essentailly adolecent centre. There is a clumsy attempt to disguise this with a Tommy Lee Jones voice-over as pretentious as it is incongruous and which seems to have wandered onto the soundtrack from an even earlier decade - the elegaic 1970's Western. Although Javier Bardem gives a completely engrossing performance, he is basically The Termintaor dressed by Austin Powers. But then if Titanic can win the Best Film Oscar why not this....

A friend mentioned that a great movie should have two elements-it should grip and enthral you while you are watchingit, and it should make you think after it. I was really looking forward to this movie, and think it succeeds on the second criteria, but I can't honestly say that it gripped/entertained me while I was watching it, which a grea movie should. I have to wonder whether all the people who profess a great love for it, and debate all the varioius (real or imagined) themes in it to the nth degree would truly love it that much if all the critics hadn't say they loved it so much. It's a bit like jazz-if you don't get this movie then you're made to feel inferior in some way. Don't get me wrong, it is good, but nowhere near as amazing as people would have you believe. I thought Million Dollar Baby was a blatantly obvious weepie Hollywood movie that was predictable as anything so I'd like to think that I'm not a total idiot who "just doesn't get it."

A shallow plot, slow, introspective and unless you like gratuitous violence and death dished up by the truchload, pretty unentertaining as well. The main killer is like terminator in the flesh, but he never generates the empathy that the robot did. The last movie I saw that was this boring and pointless was "A Simple Plan". There is a simple plan for this one too: don't bother.

I just saw the movie last night with a few friends. We got excited only to be dismayed. I don't know what the critics are raving about. Feeling sorry for the Coen Brothers is more like it by pumping them up. The movie was exciting for a while albeit horrificly bloody for the masses but the ending put it in the "Crummy" category as one of the worst movies of the year. Hollywood, like our foreign policy these days, has gone blind in seeing through the muck. Save your mulla on this one. Itâ€™s not even worth buying the DVD unless you want to destroy the mood of a nice evening.

brilliant to see the Cohen Brothers film. Absolute fan of theirs, this film leaves you with more questions than answers. If you haven't seen a Cohen film before, leave you're expectations at home and just enjoy. Wonderful characters, acting and film work. Makes you jump! Loved it.

brilliant to see the Cohen Brothers film. Absolute fan of theirs, this film leaves you with more questions than answers. If you haven't seen a Cohen film before, leave you're expectations at home and just enjoy. Wonderful characters, acting and film work. Makes you jump! Loved it.

Anyone who says this is half a film is deluded, just take time to understand it properly...even if some loose ends aren't tied up, thats quite clearly the intention of the directors. The end of the storyline doesn't coincide with the end of the film, so to assume that the final scene is going to piece it all together is ridiculous. The whole film makes sense, but with some deliberate ommisions, which obviously threw of some of these jokers who are giving it crap reviews. Technically perfect direction and cinematography, incredible acting, perfect story line. One of the best films of the last 10 years.

Anyone who says this is half a film is deluded, just take time to understand it properly...even if some loose ends aren't tied up, thats quite clearly the intention of the directors. The end of the storyline doesn't coincide with the end of the film, so to assume that the final scene is going to piece it all together is ridiculous. The whole film makes sense, but with some deliberate ommisions, which obviously threw of some of these jokers who are giving it crap reviews. Technically perfect direction and cinematography, incredible acting, perfect story line. One of the best films of the last 10 years.

I would like to start by saying I have never felt the urge to comment on a film in my puff.But this film drove me to it.It is utter pants.The movie has a very slim storyline and fails to follow it.I spent all my time trying to understand why the actors, it happens quite a lot, the actors just start to waffle on about things that have nothing to do with the film.I am not an arty farty type of guy, I like my nut jobs to be nut jobs and my heroes to do the right thing.But in this movie there is no begining no middle and definately no end.There was utter silence and I mean utter silence in the cinema, when it eventually became clear that the movie was over.Dont get me wrong the acting roles were fantastic the guy who was the nutter did a fantastic job of being a nutter and old TLJ did a fantastic job as sherriff, but the parts were not in the same movie. it could have been a lesson in how to act and in a forum and would have been as good and made as much sence.As it stands I would not reccomend wasting the money to see this and definately do not believe the emperors new clothes scenario that has shot up over this movie. Personally if I see mr G Andrew (above reporter) I will ave to issue some rude awakening medicine to his erse, As I think he got it well wrong on this one and cost me money that I could have spent on needles for my eyes.

Excellent film, was engrossed from start to finish, even though the ending was mind provoking, left it open to your imagination. Acting was superb as would be expected from these three fine actors. Really enjoyed

Excellent film, was engrossed from start to finish, even though the ending was mind provoking, left it open to your imagination. Acting was superb as would be expected from these three fine actors. Really enjoyed

I was reluctant to see this movie at first, but because of all the awards it picked up, I thought I'd give it a go. I really enjoyed this movie and at the same time I hated it, it really grips you and the acting is brilliant, but I think the only way to describe this film, is to say that it is only half a film!!! THE FILM JUST ENDS, not at an exciting climax or cliffhanger, but with tommy lee jones talking to his wife at a breakfast table! WHAT were the directors thinking? it really feels like you have just paid for half a film! i would recommend it, but dont expect to come out of the cinema feeling any purpose to why you have just been there!

I normally enjoy Coen brothersâ€™ films for their off-beat humour showing the chaotic, unpredictable nature of real life in their quirky stories. They might be disagreeable but always watchable. As an audience you are taking for a ride but you are enjoying it. In â€œNo country for old menâ€� I felt I was taken for a ride but then dumbed with the film continuing without me. In making films about shallow characters in search of a life the Coen brothersâ€™ filmmaking have become their characters: this is a shallow film in search of story and, like their characters, they are not finding it.

I saw this film, and was amazed by it I want to see it again, only the very best of films can persuade me not to spend my money on alcohol, and this is clearly one of them. The acting is superb, the camera work is top notch and the lack of soundtrack compliments the tension in the film superbly. I also don't like to criticise other people's views but the people who say this film has no ending should really ask why they are watching a Coen brothers film. For example, nothing technically happens in The bif Lebowski, yet that film is superb. Also, the character development of Tommy Lee Jones' character makes this film for me, the decision to escape the inevitable consequences.... best film of the year, and its only February!!!

I saw this film, and was amazed by it I want to see it again, only the very best of films can persuade me not to spend my money on alcohol, and this is clearly one of them. The acting is superb, the camera work is top notch and the lack of soundtrack compliments the tension in the film superbly. I also don't like to criticise other people's views but the people who say this film has no ending should really ask why they are watching a Coen brothers film. For example, nothing technically happens in The bif Lebowski, yet that film is superb. Also, the character development of Tommy Lee Jones' character makes this film for me, the decision to escape the inevitable consequences.... best film of the year, and its only February!!!

Really enjoyed this film, with excellent performances from all the cast, but like lots of people I was disappointed with the ending. Maybe it's just one of those movies you have to watch more than once before you get it!